NEW YORK — On every presidential election day, television cameras capture the candidates reporting to their polling places, where they are shown casting a ballot. Presumably, Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano said, they have voted for themselves.

Cano invoked the familiar image today when he addressed the backlash that stemmed from a comment he made earlier this week. When asked about the wide-open Most Valuable Player race in the American League, Cano said that if he were given a vote, he would vote for himself.

“MVP is tough right now, you got a lot of guys, but I would give my vote to myself,” Cano told ESPN on Thursday after a public appearance in Manhattan. “You can see the numbers. I’m batting fifth in the lineup, I’ve been there the whole year and why not me?”

When asked again who would earn his vote, Cano deferred to those who actually have a vote.

“I would say whoever you guys pick,” he said. “It’s not my choice.”

The decision falls to the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. It won’t be easy. The AL MVP debate could be the most intriguing of all the postseason honors.

The Detroit Tigers’ Justin Verlander appears to have a lock on the Cy Young Award, and his dominating season has vaulted him into MVP consideration, an honor that hasn’t gone to a pitcher since Oakland Athletics closer Dennis Eckersley won it in 1992. Tigers teammate Miguel Cabrera is also in the mix along with the Red Sox trio of Jacoby Ellsbury, Adrian Gonzalez and Dustin Pedroia.

Though he plays for a non-contender, some advanced metrics show that Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista is having one of the best offensive seasons in the last 60 years.

While Cano’s chances of winning may be up for debate, his status as a contender for the award is not. In a season spent partly by filling in for Alex Rodriguez as the Yankees’ cleanup hitter, Cano is hitting .305 with 27 homers and 116 RBI, trailing only Granderson (119) for the league lead.

“I think it’s an MVP-caliber type of year, what he’s done for us this year,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “Him and Grandy. I think he’s had a very good year, and in the absence of Alex, stepping into the four hole and just continuing to be productive.”

Cano’s second-half surge has pushed him into the MVP race. Since winning the Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game, Cano is batting .317 with 12 homers and 59 RBI. In that span, his batting average has jumped 21 points.

He has also bolstered his MVP case with his ability to stay in the lineup — a quality that voters by rule must consider in the voting. While Girardi has been generous with rest days for other players on his roster, Cano has played in 154 games, most on the Yankees. Despite playing second base — a position that often leaves players vulnerable to injuries — Cano has played in more than 150 games in each of the last six seasons.

“It’s great as a manager when you have a guy that can be productive and play every day,” said Girardi, who recalls several instances when Cano defied expectations and played the day after being hit by a pitch. “Every day. I think it’s (because) Robbie’s strong. I think Robbie doesn’t get credit for his toughness.”

On a team that has been slammed with injuries, his durability stands out even more.